Video: How to fix a flat bike tire

Fix a flat tire in 5 minutes

If you ride a bike, it’s pretty much inevitable. You will get a flat tire one day (hopefully not in the middle of a race or a rainstorm). That said, it pays to be prepared!

All you need is a little patience and a few tools to get your bike back up and rolling. Round up your trusty bike pump, a patch kit, tire levers, a marker, and a container of water, then follow these easy directions to get yourself back on the road. Watch our 60-second video above or check out our step by step guide below.

5 steps to fix a flat

1. Remove the Tire

Insert your tire levers between the metal rim of the wheel and the rubber tire. Push both tire levers away from the wheel to remove both the tire and the inner tube.

2. Find the Leak

To find the source of the leak, hold the tube up to your ear while pressing down along the sides and listening for air. You can also press down on the tube while it’s submerged in water – the resulting bubbles will show you where the leak is. Once you find the source of the leak, be sure to circle it with a marker.

3. Patch it Up

Gently sand the source of the leak with the sandpaper in your patch kit and apply glue to the area. Once the glue is tacky, press the patch onto the spot and wait a few minutes. Remove the plastic cover from the patch.

4. Tube –> Tire

Check the tire before reinserting the tube! Look for anything sharp that may have punctured the tube in the first place. You can patch or change a tube, but you’re going to get another puncture if there is something stuck in the tire. Once your confident there’s nothing in the tire place the tube back inside, ensuring that the valve is perpendicular to the wheel rim. Then fit the tire back onto the wheel while being mindful of the tube (you will get a pinch flat if it’s sticking out of the rim).

5. Get Going!

Use your bike pump to inflate the tire to it’s recommended PSI – this should be noted along the side of your tire. Now you’re good to go!